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Scene: Decision & Reflection
Each soldier stood in silence, lost in their own thoughts. The weight of the captain's words sank deep into their minds, especially for one young soldier—Rohit.
"What do I do now?" Rohit thought, clenching his fists. "All the training, all the techniques I learned—will they just go to waste if I refuse this mission?"
His mind raced with thoughts of his family. His mother, who relied on him. His younger brother, whose school fees depended on his income. His father's salary was barely enough to support them, and if he lost this job, his little brother might be forced to take the same dangerous path.
"I have no choice."
The captain's cold voice echoed through the hall, snapping everyone out of their thoughts.
"What have you all decided? Will you join the mission, or is there anyone who refuses?"
A few moments of silence followed, but then, one by one, the soldiers nodded in agreement. There was no other way.
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Scene Shift: Rohit's Reflection
Later that evening, Rohit sat alone in a quiet, open space within the base. Unlike the rest of the facility, this area had patches of green grass, a few trees, and a small water fountain. The cool breeze carried a faint scent of soil, a rare thing in a place dominated by metal and machinery.
He leaned back on a bench, staring at the sky, lost in thought. Even though he made his decision, the weight of it still pressed heavily on him.
"Are you going to sulk all day?"
A familiar voice broke his thoughts. Nisha sat down beside him, holding a plate of steaming momos. She handed one to him with a small grin.
"Here. Stop looking so miserable and eat this. They're delicious."
Rohit sighed but took one anyway. As he bit into it, she continued,
"These are made from cabbage, and—"
"Shut up, I'm eating." Rohit interrupted, chewing slowly.
Nisha chuckled before her expression turned thoughtful. "Hey, do you remember what that old grandpa used to tell us when we were kids?"
Rohit swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. He always said 'history is manipulated' or something."
"Do you think he was telling the truth?" she asked.
Rohit exhaled sharply. "Even if he was, what can we do? This is the world we live in."
Nisha leaned back with a sigh. "Yeah… I guess so."
Suddenly, a loud thump startled them.
"Rohit! Nisha! What are you two doing here?"
A tall, athletic guy with messy hair stood in front of them, grinning. Vijay.
Nisha rolled her eyes. "We were talking about that old man."
"Tch, nonsense," Rohit muttered, standing up. He dusted himself off before looking at them both.
"Alright, let's go."
As they turned toward the base, Vijay suddenly started walking in the opposite direction.
Rohit groaned. "Vijay, we share the same room. Why are you heading in the wrong direction?"
Vijay scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh… I forgot which way the base was."
Rohit sighed. "I swear, your sense of direction is worse than a broken GPS."
Vijay laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go."
Rohit stretched, taking a deep breath. "Alright, let's head back to the base. Captain's probably waiting."
The three of them walked back toward the base, the weight of tomorrow's mission looming over them.
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